Hundreds get IEBC nod to hit campaign trail
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) yesterday paved the way for hundreds of aspirants to commence formal campaigns after clearing them for the August polls.
Hundreds of aspirants who appeared before IEBC offices countrywide faced minimal hitches during the second day of the exercise. Kanu leader Gideon Moi was cleared by IEBC to defend his Baringo Senate seat after hankering for a higher post under Azimio-One Kenya Alliance since last year.
In Uasin Gishu, Governor Jackson Mandago was cleared to run for the county’s Senate seat while Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi (UDA) and Kesses MP Swarup Mishra (independent) also got the green light to defend their seats.
Sudi is battling a case in court for allegedly forging his academic papers.
Kapseret returning officer Mildred Wachie gave the MP a nod to vie, arguing that he had presented all the requisite documents. But the MP was not personally present during the presentation. He sent his lawyer to represent him.
“He (Sudi) had written to IEBC that he was out of the country. He wrote a letter signed by his lawyer that he is outside Kenya. This permits any candidate to send a representative,” said Wachie.
In Kisii, veteran journalist Eric Obino was cleared to vie for Nyaribari Chache MP on a Kanu ticket. He appealed to his rivals to embrace peaceful campaigns.
Obino was accompanied by senatorial aspirants Richard Onyonka (ODM) and Omingo Magara (Jubilee), who were also cleared by county returning officer Samwel Korir.
“Youths do not know the politics of the clans. They look at the qualities and capabilities of leaders. I laud the commission for its efficiency. I was cleared in 10 minutes,” said Obino at Kisii Agricultural Training Centre after he was cleared by returning officer Mark Manco.
In Embu, former Principal Secretary Lilian Omolloh, who has been implicated in the multi-billion-shilling National Youth Service (NYS) scandal, was cleared to vie for the Embu senatorial seat. She was among 25 aspirants the National Integrity Alliance (NIA) had written about to IEBC, requesting that they be blocked from vying over questionable integrity.
“I’m very happy because I’m duly nominated by the IEBC to run for Embu senatorial seat,” said Ms Mbogo.
In Siaya, Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo extended an olive branch to rival Jalango Midiwo to join him in joint campaigns after he was cleared. Raila Odinga’s cousin, Jalango, was defeated by Odhiambo in ODM nominations. The MP won with 7,405 votes against Jalango’s 6,384 votes.
Other parliamentary aspirants cleared yesterday to face off with incumbent Odhiambo are Isaiah Omolo (DAP-K), Winnie Auma (MDG) and Adino Dan Odhiambo (Narc).
In Kisumu County, the commission cleared Kisumu Central MP Fred Ouda and his main challenger, businessman Joshua Oron. The latter, an ODM candidate, was cleared yesterday, a day after Ouda (independent) got the green light to defend the parliamentary seat.
Remained unclear
Meanwhile, it remained unclear who had been cleared for the Muhoroni MP race between incumbent MP Onyango K’Oyoo and aspirant Hezron McObewa. Yesterday, reports indicated that K’Oyoo had appeared before IEBC for clearance.
Kisumu IEBC coordinator Solomon Mudanya said the exercise, which started on Sunday, will run throughout the week, with the hopefuls presenting themselves before the commission on diverse dates. “We began clearing aspirants on Sunday. The exercise is running concurrently at constituency level for parliamentary and county assembly hopefuls,” he said.
In Bungoma, four Ford Kenya parliamentary aspirants were given the nod to contest. They are Majimbo Kalasinga (Kabuchai), John Makali (Kanduyi), Kasembeli Nasiuma (Sirisia), and Augustine Luketelo (Bumula).
Makali, a former Bungoma assembly speaker, said he was prepared to face off with Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi, who is the DAP-K party leader.
In Kakamega, the stage is set for another gruelling battle between Shinyalu MP Justus Kizito and his long-time political nemesis Lisamula Anami after both were cleared to vie for the seat. Kizito will vie on the DAP-Kenya ticket while Anami is the ODM flag-bearer. Both parties are members of Azimio La Umoja alliance.
Also cleared was Fred Ikana of ANC, a party in the Kenya Kwanza coalition.
Presentation of nomination papers by parliamentary aspirants to the electoral body kicked off smoothly on Sunday, with no anomalies reported in Gatundu and Thika constituencies, Kiambu County.
In Gatundu South, independent candidate Peter Kung’u Kibathi, who was among those cleared by the local IEBC office, expressed confidence of capturing the seat held by Moses Kuria, who is eyeing the Kiambu governorship.
Kibathi appealed to his opponents to conduct peaceful campaigns and avoid maligning others.
In Narok, two Senate aspirants were turned away for failing to meet the requirements. Kipkurui Isaac Cheruyiot (Safina) and Salaton ole Tompo (independent) were not cleared. An official at the Narok Teachers Training College, where aspirants were presenting papers to the IEBC, said the two were requested to return on Tuesday with the missing papers. “They came here but there were some missing documents,” said the source who didn’t want to be quoted.
Narok Governor Samuel Tunai was among those cleared on Sunday.
In Kajiado, nominated Senator Judy Pareno said she was ready to battle for the seat with male competitors.
Pillar of society
“The Maa community and the society at large is shunning misconceptions that women are inferior. I am happy that a woman is now seen as a strong and capable pillar of society,” she said.
In Vihiga, some aspirants waited for long to be cleared, owing to persistent network failure. The situation was worse at Vihiga County IEBC offices where those who had presented themselves queued for hours because of network failure.
The exercise, which was to kick off at 8:00am on Sunday, started at 10:00am.
County IEBC returning officer Peter Tiyo said they were addressing the issue.
In Mombasa, ODM leaders insisted on a six-piece voting pattern in favour of the Orange party. Speaking separately after they were cleared, Jomvu MP Badi Twalib and his Likoni counterpart Mishi Mboko said ODM must deliver in Mombasa.
“We have many pending projects. I want to assure the electorate that we shall secure victory and deliver development to them,” said Twalib.
- Reporting by Harrison Kivisu, Wycliff Kipsang, Christine Musa, Enock Amukhale, Noven Owiti, Kepher Otieno, George Sayagie, Robert Ochoro, Oliver Musembi, Dennis Lumiti, Yusuf Masibo, Eric Juma and Brian Malila
